‘The Last Stand,’ ‘Mama,’ ‘Broken City’: Review Revue

This week at the multiplex, we’ve got a border skirmish (“The Last Stand,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Johnny Knoxville), haunted children (“Mama,” starring Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and a shady election (“Broken City,” starring Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes.

“The Last Stand”

It’s been a decade since Arnold Schwarzenegger toplined a movie. And though the former governor of California shows signs of age in “The Last Stand,” critics say the movie is a reasonably satisfying meat-and-potatoes action flick that harkens back to Schwarzenegger’s 1980s heyday. The Governator stars as the sheriff of a small border town who becomes the last line of defense when a notorious cartel leader and his heavily-armed henchmen attempt to escape into Mexico. “The Last Stand” is currently at 64 percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer; check out some of the reviews here:

Fresh: “Schwarzenegger, when he’s not plowing his way through reams of semi-intelligible dialogue, proves he’s still capable of firing off a few rounds and pulling broken glass out of his leg.” — Justin Chang, Variety

Fresh: “The movie isn’t about eloquence, it’s about giving Mr. Schwarzenegger a chance to take on new enemies that include advancing age.” — Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Rotten: “Even by the big, loud standards of a big, loud Schwarzenegger movie, ‘The Last Stand’ feels like a succession of pitches that never amount to a script.” — Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

Universal Pictures

Jessica Chastain in “Mama.”

“Mama”

“Mama” is a ghost story with a strong pedigree: it stars Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain and was executive-produced by Guillermo del Toro. But while some critics say the movie is chilling and atmospheric, others find it clichéd and unable to fulfill its potential. Two sisters disappeared the day their mother was murdered, and after years of searching, their uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend Annabel (Chastain) find the girls and bring them home. But soon, the sisters seem to be communicating with a spectral entity. “Mama” is currently at 55 percent on the Tomatometer; here’s what some of the critics are saying:

Fresh: “Plenty of horror movies are willing to settle for making audiences jump. ‘Mama’ is more ambitious by far: It makes sure viewers are emotionally committed even when they aren’t clutching their armrests or covering their eyes.” — Tasha Robinson, AV Club

Fresh: “There is a kind of horror movie that bashes you in the head, and there is a kind of horror movie that creeps into your imagination. ‘Mama’ is in the latter family.” — Chris Hewitt, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Rotten: “By about a half-hour into the film, it’s pretty evident what the general explanation is for all the supernatural shenanigans, so the remainder becomes a fright flick on autopilot.” — Marc Mohan, The Oregonian

Rotten: “Can we declare a moratorium on stringy-haired ghost women who make freaky noises?” — Loey Lockerby, Kansas City Star

“Broken City”

“Broken City” is an ambitious political thriller with neo-noir crime elements. Unfortunately, critics say a fine cast can’t save the film’s overstuffed and implausible script. Mark Wahlberg stars as Billy Taggart, an ex-cop-turned-private eye who’s hired by New York City Mayor Nicolas Hostetler (Russell Crowe) to investigate his philandering wife; soon, Taggart has uncovered evidence of a far-reaching conspiracy. “Broken City” is currently at 19 percent on the Tomatometer; here are some of the reviews:

Rotten: “['Broken City'] would have made for a fine film noir 60 years ago but feels rather contrived and unbelievable in the setting of contemporary New York.” — Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter

Rotten: “Less than 24 hours later, I recall it with all the clarity of something I half-watched on a plane with a hangover in 1996.” — Dana Stevens, Slate

Fresh: “I can’t tell you with a straight face ‘Broken City”‘ is ‘any good,’ but I can make the case you’ll have a good time even when the screenplay is breaking bad.” — Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

About Speakeasy

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